National Branding For Meaning: An Investigation in Integrative Branding and New Zealand’s National Brand

Abstract

Until 2013, New Zealand’s national brand centered around ‘100% Pure’. 100% Pure has been a successful tourism brand, portraying New Zealand’s natural beauty to attract international visitors. The focus on natural beauty, however, is only one dimension of New Zealand’s brand meaning. This image of natural beauty has been leveraged by exporters from horticulture, agriculture, the primary sector, and tourism, but has been of little use to services and technology-based exports. In response to the need for a wider brand meaning the ‘New Zealand Story’ was launched in 2013. This initiative is intended to extend perceptions of New Zealand beyond its natural beauty. If successful, the New Zealand Story could encourage: immigration by skilled migrants; study by international students; foreign direct investment, and; growth in exports. Analysis is pertinent because of the much broader effect the initiative could have on New Zealanders. Recent contributions to branding theory offer frameworks, outlining the processes in developing, brand recognition, and brand meaning. In the research stream of national branding, most research to date investigates the process of brand recognition. This thesis address this gap by conducting research into the processes undertaken in constructing national brand meanings. This work undertook an iterative analysis moving between theory and practice. The outcome was a refined theoretical framework which outlines the processes in national branding for identity and national branding for meaning. In completing this investigation, seven in-depth interviews were carried out with senior members of New Zealand’s export sector. A data corpus was also assembled which consisted of publically available information on the New Zealand Story between 2012 and 2016. Both interviews and secondary research were analyzed thematically under an abductive methodology and critical realist ontology. Findings suggest that historically New Zealand has focused on communications which develop brand recognition rather than brand meaning. There is some evidence to suggest that the national brand is moving towards developing brand meanings. It was also uncovered that national brands could communicate new brand meanings. This differs from conceptualized processes where brand meanings occur through stakeholder interactions. Amongst exporters, there was some diversion in who qualified as a stakeholder. Findings also drove refinements in the theoretical framework. These refinements better reflect the practical processes of national branding and provide further clarity in the conceptual model. This conceptual model can be used as a tool for further analyses of national branding efforts, or as a road map for national brands’ management. Overall, this work contributes to national branding and branding literature through investigation of a topical and recent national branding initiative.